Fellow parents, if you are clueless about Fortnite, it’s time to get up to speed. Like Minecraft and Roblox, Fortnite has an army of obsessed child gamers who don’t know how or when to quit.

Does your child disappear in your home for hours without making any sounds? Does your child disappear in your home for hours, yelling at someone you can’t see? Does your child balance a device in front of his/her face while simultaneously watching YouTube gaming tutorials and Twitch streams?

Hello and welcome to the group. Your kid is probably playing Fortnite along with millions of adults. You’ve heard the term but don’t quite know what the deal is, but now your curiosity is piqued. Fortnite is a worldwide phenomenon and probably THE most popular game on Earth right now.

So, what the heck is it about? Fortnite: Battle Royale is just like its name sounds. If you’re familiar with the 2000 Japanese flick Battle Royale, – or Hunger Games – the setup is familiar. One hundred players are dropped in a setting where they have to kill or be killed. The last person left is the winner.

You can play as an individual or as a member of a team, but the multiplayer action game has such high stakes because you only get one life. Once you die, the game is over for you. That’s probably why you hear your kids or significant other screaming into a screen.

In the beginning, players land with only one weapon and scramble to collect other weapons and supplies. Forts are built, battles are raged, and self-preservation is pursued.

Did we mention that it’s free to play? Hence the 40 million or more players that Epic Games (Fortnite’s maker) can claim. Gamers can purchase extras, but it’s totally possible to enjoy and win the game without buying anything. That’s part of the reason why your kiddos want to play all day and night.

Since Fortnite is available on most gaming platforms, it’s easily accessible for those who have a PlayStation 4, Xbox, or PC, and mobile versions are in the works. Players can even battle against each other across platforms.

And although the premise of the game is to kill, the graphics are not as scary-gory and sophisticated as what you see with a game like Resident Evil or Grand Theft Auto. In fact, some parents are okay with their kids playing it because the animation is so cartoon-like.

Concerns stem from parents who aren’t on board with their young kids interacting with adult strangers online or the amount of they play. Some children behave as if they’re going through withdrawal if they’re not able to play.

They wake up starting their day with it, – some to the point where they’re not getting ready for school – they’re chatting with friends about it, and they’re oblivious to home life. Emotional outbursts are a familiar reaction to Fortnite when the one life given is lost. Parents may notice their kids get angry or sad, and some report theirs are physically lashing out when they lose.

Psychology experts suggest that parents play the game with their kids or they simply limit their child’s gaming time. Although the age rating for the game is 12+ due to mild violence, it’s no secret that 9 and 10-year-olds are diehard players.

You can hear more about Fortnite and game addiction concerns in the clip below, but at least now you know what Fortnite hype is all about.

Do you know about this popular game and is your child playing it unsupervised? Are there any Fortnite addicts in your household who need help? What other popular game has taken over your world?